The Steering Council

The Steering Council is the highest level of governance composed of 12 members, plus the chair, of which 6 are persons living with diabetes or patient representatives. The Co-Scientific Leads are responsible for reporting to the Steering Council.

The Steering Council oversees all aspects of the workings of the Network. The terms of reference for the Steering Council are as follows:

1.   Ensure that the Vision and Mission of the SPOR Network are fulfilled through a strategic, accountable, committed leadership and management functions;

2.   Through the skill-based and partnership governance structure, create the highest quality oversight, communication, support and guidance for the conduct of the patient-oriented research goals using best (corporate) governance principles;

3.   Develop appropriate agreement and memorandum documents articulating terms suitable for membership in the SPOR Network including specific description of participation and co-investment of resource (time, expertise, infrastructure, and revenues);

4.   Enable strict financial oversight using standard accounting and auditing measures;

5.   Promote strategic partnership relationships with inaugural (core) and new members (academic, public and private) of the SPOR Network with sensitivity to balancing gender, age, language (French, English);

6.   Incorporate local academic and clinical nodes of the Network in strategic project development, implementation and evaluation;

7.   Monitor governance performance including excellence and sustainability of the leadership, management and engagement of the participating members;

8.   Manage conflict of interest through appropriate processes including necessary agreements establish for all aspects of governance and research partnerships.